Garment supporter



GARMENT SUPPORTER Filed Deo. 14, v1938 ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 18, 1941 AUNlTl'zD STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT SUPPORTER Ethel Sherlock and-Thomas E. Near, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 14,1938, Serial No. 245,711

4 Claims. (Cl. 241-5) vOur invention relates to garment supporters and a special object is a band from which a long stocking can be supported which band shall encircle the thigh with little tension, remain permanently in place while in use, and that shall not discolor, or disturb the normal condition of, the flesh with which it is in contact.

To this end we employ a contact material that is pervious to air and elastic, that is strongly coherent and has no adhesiveness and that resists to a remarkable extent any tendency to move it along the surface with which it is in contact.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a band embodying our invention, shown as in position encircling the thigh, the latter being indicated by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a detail section on the line 2-2, Figure 1, to an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a detail section on the line 3-3, Figure 1, to an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective View showing the constituent strips of the band partly separated.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 1, showing a modified construction.

Figure 6 is a detail section in the line 6 6, Figure 5, to an enlarged scale.

B indicates the band; T, the thigh, or the wearer and S, the stocking. b indicates buckles b'y which the ends of the band B can be secured together to secure it on the thigh, and C-C indicate conventional elastic supporting straps by which the top of the stocking is secured to the band B. A strip C is located at the front and another strap D at the back to allow, by their elasticity, for the bending of the knee.

The band B includes a strip of gauze-like extensible textile material 2, which may be such as I is generally used in like articles, such as garters. Upon the inner surface of the strip 2 We secure a thin strip 3 of a rubber product that is porous and elastic such as used by surgeons for bandages which may be suitably secured to the strip 3 as by softening its surface by'a suitable solvent such as benzole and pressing it against the surface of the textile band 3 to which it will adhere and impart resilience.

We then take a strip 4 of the same material as the strip 3, but thicker and of less width, form apertures 5 through it at spaced intervals, and lay this strip upon the strip 3, with their center lines parallel and adjacent so that the lateral edges of the strips 2 and 3 extend beyond those of the strip 4.

We then press the strips 3 and 4 together whereupon they cohere so completely that they practically form one piece.

In practice the band B is placed around the thigh and its ends secured together by a buckle, b, so that there is a slight tension of the band holding the inner surface of the strip 4 against the surface of the thigh with a slight pressure. The lower end of the straps C--C are then made fast to the top of the stocking to hold the same in its adjusted position.

It will now be found that although the tension of the band B is very slight, that said band or any part of it, cannot be displaced along the sur'- face of the thigh by any force incident to its use.

We think this may be due in part to the protrusion of the flesh into the cavities 5 (Figure 3), but a stronger force is due to the peculiar resistance of the contacting material to movement along the surface against which it lies. Owing to this quality it is not necessary to place the band B under sufficient tension to interfere with the circulation of the blood. The material does not stick to the skin, it is not adhesive, or sticky, and therefore it does not soil, or discolor, the surface to which it is applied. The material is porous, as is also the textile strip 2, and there is no accumulation of moisture under the band, and it may be washed with soap and water.

When the band has been worn for a long period of time, and is removed, the place where it has been is almost instantly indistinguishable from the neighboring surface.

In the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6, the straps CI corresponding to C are formed in the top of the stocking S, and are buttoned to the band B.

We claim:

1. A hose supporter of the class described, comprising: a leg-encircling band of elastic webbing and a layer of porous rubber secured to and substantially covering the inner face of said band; and a layer of rubber on the inner face of said mst-mentioned layer of rubber of less width than the said inst-mentioned layer.

2. A hose supporter of the class described,l

bing; an intermediate layer of rubber secured to and substantially covering the inner face of said band; and an inner layer of rubber of less Width than said intermediate layer and-secured tothe inner face thereof at the medial portion thereof.

4. A hose supporter `of the class described, comprising: a leg-encircling band of elastic webbing; an intermediate layer of rubber secured to and substantially covering the inner face of said band;

an inner layer of rubber of less Width than said intermediate layer and secured to the inner face thereof atthe medial portion thereof; and having a plurality of openings formed therein on the longitudinal medial line thereof.`

ETHEL` SHERLOCK. THOMASE. NEAR. 

